Prayers power Christian illumination, says Pope

Vatican City, June 7 (IANS/AKI) Prayers are the “batteries” that power Christians and allow them to enlighten others, Pope Francis said on Tuesday.

“Prayers are always the batteries that give Christians light,” Francis said in a sermon as he celebrated mass at the Vatican hotel, where he lives.

“But illuminate the lives of others rather than yourselves,” he said.

Monuments can be erected to merciful Christians who do good works for the Church, for example by founding a Catholic university, a college or a hospital, Francis stated.

“But if you don’t pray, such monuments will be a bit dark, a bit obscure.

“Many works become rather obscure due to a lack of light, of prayers. Because it is prayer that makes Christ’s light sparkle, that illuminates,” he said, adding Christians should also be “salt that gives flavour to everybody’s lives”.

“We must be the light that illuminates all the others and the salt that gives their lives flavour,” he said.